I have a malfunctioning combination of switch machine and switch controller. The machine is hooked up with the constant voltage plugs directly to the transformer. Switch machine is operating in one direction only from the O22 Controller; it is not activated for the opposite position at all, no buzzing, or any reaction at all to moving the switch, controller lever.Switch machine operates satisfactorily when the center terminal is connected directly to either exterior terminal. This, of course, removes the controller from the circuit completely.I have opened controller, and nothing seems amiss, but I do notice that both indicator lights are dimly lit at all times, except if I move the lever, in which case one bulb is lit brightly, and the other goes out completely. But only One position causes the switch machine to operate. i Disconnected all three wires from the switch controller and then attached another controller temporally, just on my tabletop, and and it worked fine. I prepared to install that controller but the wires were too short. So I took a piece of two conductor wire and connected it to the two outer wires on the cable to extend its length and wired to third wire of the cord directly to the common Ground of my layout. Now I'm getting absolutely nothing at all. I do notice that the original and inadequately functioning controller had a red stripe on one of the three conductors whereas the second controller which I used and had to extend the length of did not have that red marker on The wire at all. I'm not expert enough to know if either switch machine still had the original factory cable line attached. my layout has various in phase transformers for different blocks. but as long as the constant voltage circuit is live, nothing else should be a problem--correct? Any suggestions here? it is puzzling to me that the second switch controller was fine when I simply hooked it up directly to the switch, actually on the top of my lpayout, but when I moved it to my panel, and admittedly usd an alternate wiring scheme by connecting third conductor to my Layout's common ground, I got no performance.
stuartmitSwitch machine operates satisfactorily when the center terminal is connected directly to either exterior terminal. This, of course, removes the controller from the circuit completely.
Rob
But what is crazy to me is that when I abandoned the initial controller and tested with a different controller connected on the layout table, right at the location of the switch, in such a way that I actually couldn't run any trains because of the wires on the surface of the table, it was fine. Then when I took that second controller to my panel and put it on the panel and run the wires under the table and connected them, I believe, in the same fashion, it did not operate.
i have made an effort to rotate the various combinations to find out which combination works in satisfactory fashion.
let's return to the original controller. It has one conductor in the three conductor cable that has a red stripe running its length.
I could be wrong, but I believe that that is on not the center conductor, as one might guess, but on one of the two side conductors. Is there a significance to that red stripe or is it merely to help you identify one side conductor from the other. Is there any chance that that road conductor should be connected to the Center Terminal of the switch?
it seems to me, that, on some of the 027 switch designs, they changed the wiring so that the conductor carrying the ground from the switch to the controller was no longer in the center. Is that possibly what's going on here?
I had a similar issue on my last layout. Do you have any 45 degree crossings?
No 45 crossings at all. But not sure why they would screw it up. I have problem, which still puzzles me, but is gone.
When I connected the second controller to replace the non functional first one, you may recall that I indicated that the wire for ground was not long enough to reach the switch machine center terminal, and it had to be extended, and in order to bring ground to the controller, when I indicated above I connected it to the too short wire to the common ground of my layout, what I in fact did was solder it to the outside third rail of my track. What I did not notice when I did that was that happened to be a section of insulated control rail so the circuit to control The switch machine was only complete if there happened to be a train on that section of track so that the control rail was no longer isolated.
I am still dissatisfied that I did not figure out What was the problem with the original controller and I still am puzzled about the red wire going down the outside of the three conductor cable from the switch controller box.
But working is working, so I will go on to the next foil thing that I don't understand!
stuartmitbut I believe that that is on not the center conductor, as one might guess, but on one of the two side conductors.
Ok. V interesting. A definitive procedure is to test with no light bulbs in. Never would have occurred to me !
A last detail. All working but not well. I find the moving swivel rails thrown only about 90pct when operated with controller, but 100 pct when i simply bridge the outside binding post to the center. As if in the second case there is a greater voltage to drive to solenoid Because of a more direct connection? does that in any way make sense?
stuartmit does that in any way make sense?
Any way to lower that?
stuartmitAny way to lower that?
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